Door-check.



Patented lune 25, 190|.

w. WALLACE.

DUUR CHECK.

(Application med Jan. 19, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

@wwwa NITED STATES garni* turion.

DOOR-CHECK..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 676,929, dated June 25,1901.

Application filed January 19, 1901. Serial No. 43,9401 (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM LINDSAY WAL- LACE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Sweetwater, in the county of Monroe and State ofTennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDoor-Checks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

I This invention relates to door checks or retainers; and it consists,substantially, in the improvements hereinafter more particularlydescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

vThe principal object of the invention is to provide a device which whenmounted in proper position in the path of movement of a door will engagethe door automatically and retain the same in open position untilreleased.

A further object is to provide a device for this purpose which does notrequire to be manipulated or set each time the door is opened orreleased and one also that is practically noiseless in use, besidesbeing simple and easily constructed, as well as inexpensive tomanufacture and composed of few parts.

A still further object of the invention is to dispense with the use ofsprings or weights in this class of devices and to provide a devicewhich will operate effectually and with certainty at all times; also, adevice which will not mar the surface of the door with which itcoperatesand which does not present an unsightly appearance.

, These and additional objects I attain by the means illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective,representing the use of my improved device in catching and retaining adoor in open position. Figs. 2 to 7, inclusive, are diagrammatic planviews of my improved device, indicating the manner of operationV of thesame in Several of the positions in which the device is apt to be whenthe door is moved or carried into contact therewith. Figs. 8 to10,*inclusive, are similar views of a slightly-different form of myimproved device in various positions corresponding to the positionsthereof indicated in Figs. 2, 3, and 1i. Fig. llis an enlarged lon,

sary to eect such release.

gitudinal sectional view of one form of my device. Fig. 12 is a top planview of another embodiment of my invention, enlarged; and Fig. 13, asimilar view with the top plate or washer removed. Fig. 11.1c is anenlarged central sectional view taken through the peculiarly-constructedpivotal support or hubbearing preferably employed with the constructionshown in Figs. 12 and 13. Fig. l5 is a diagrammatic view to indicate themovement and operation of the device shownin Figs. 12 and 13. Fig. 16 isa perspective view in detail of the peculiarly-constructed hub orbearing. Fig. 17 is also an enlarged top plan view, with the top plateremoved, of' the device as constructed in accordance with the form shownin Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, and in Fig. 11, but employing practicallythe same form of pivotal support or hub-bearing shown in Figs. 12 to 15,and with the top plate removed. Fig. 18 is a longitudinal sectional viewof Fig. 17.

Before proceeding with a more detailed description it may be stated thatmy improved device comprises, substantially, an oblong block soconstructed that when the door is brought into contact therewith thesame is moved or carried around on a central pivot in such manner thatthe door is caught and retained in the open position until released. Thedevice can be operated to release the door by simple application of thefoot, and thus no bending or stoopiug ofthe body is neces- Preferablythe ends of the device are beveled or tapered, and the said device isloosely mounted on a een tral pivot located at any suitable pointpractically in the plane of the arc of the circle swept by the outeredge of the door in its opening and closing movements. The device may beconstructed of wood, hard rubber, metal, or other suitable material andis practically noiseless in operation and not liable to get out oforder.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents an ordinary swinging door,which is shown in Fig. 1 in an open position, where it is held orengaged by my improved device B. Said device can be constructed indifferent Ways, as hereinafter explained, and the same comprises whatmay be termed an oblong block mounted on a central pivot a and capableof turning thereon in either direction. The ends of the device arebeveled on each side at b, forming points or apices c CZ, which are indirect line with the axis or center of the said central pivot a, andsaid block or device B is also formed with a channel or recess e, thewidth of which is somewhat in excess of the thickness of the door A, soas to permit the sides of the door to be properly received between thesides of the said recess. In order to furnish an unobstructed movementbetween the device and the door, the sides of the channel or recess eare rounded off at the corners, as seen at f, and when the said device Bis constructed of other mate- 'rial than rubber a suitable hard-rubbercushion g is preferably seated in each side of the said channel orrecess, so as to render the operation as noiseless as possible.

From the construction of the device as shown in Figs. l to 7, inclusive,and more particularly as shown in enlarged sectional View at Fig. Il, itwill be seen that the said device is formed with a central opening h andthat the same is provided on its top and bottom surt'aces withwear-plates or washers i t'. Located in said central opening between thesaid washers is a sleeve or nut 7c, having a smooth opening or bore Z,coinciding with similar openings in the washers, and passing throughthese openings is a screw m for securing the said device in positioneither at the side of an adjacent Wall or at the proper point of theHoor-surface over and slightly above which the lower edge of the doormoves in the opening and closing of the latter. In order to absolutelyinsure the proper working of the device in whatever position the lattermay happen to be at the time the door is opened, I preferably employ awedge or double-inclined block C, secured to the inner side of the doornear the lower inner corner thereof, the apex n of said wedge being solocated as to intersect the axial line of the device B in the movementof the door to its open position. Thus accordingly as one side or theother of the device B is struck by one side or the other of the wedgethe said device will be turned on its aXis in one direction or the otherand be brought around in position to engage and retain the door, asAshown in Figs. l, 7, and l0. In order to permit the device to be broughtto a position substantially at right angles to the sides of the door,(thus to effectually catch and retain the door in open position,) aswellas to provide for the accommodation of the Wedge, the said device B isnotched or recessed at o in its upper surface near each end, so that asthe sides of the door are received between the sides of the channel orrecess e the wedge Owill move over the bottom surfaces p of saidrecesses o, and thus enable the device to move tothe requisite ordesired position. It will be understood that it makes no dierence whatposition the device or block B is in at the time the same is struck bythe wedge on the door, since said device is equally operative in any andall positions thereof in the range of its movements. If the apex 'n ofthe wedge engages either of the apices c dof the said device B, thelatter will be carried to one side or the other by the weight of thedoor, due to the fact that the said apices c, d, and n are rounded, andthe device B is sufeiently loose on its pivot to permit a yieldingthereof. Assuming the outer side of the wedge C to be brought intocontact with the inner surface of one of the beveled ends of the device,as shown in Fig. 2, it will be seen that the said device B will rst becarried in the direction of arrow l until brought to the position ofFig.- 3 by the continued outward movement of the door. By this time thewedge C has passed entirely clear of the device, and the innerV surfaceof the door is brought against the adjacent cornerf of the device,whereupon the movement of the latter is reversed to the direction of thearrow marked 2 in Fig. 3, and the stillfurther continued outwardmovement of the door brings the device to the position shown in Fig. 4,in which position the door is held or retained until release of the sameis effected by properly turning or moving the device either by theapplication of the hand or foot. The operation is the same Whether thedooris brought against one end or the other of the device while in thepositions indicated or at points intermediate of said positions. Asshown in Fig. 5, if the outer beveled side of either end of the device Bis struck by the inner side of the wedge C the device is turned in thedirection of arrow 3, Fig. 5, and is continued to be turned in the samedirection by the continued movement of the door until brought to theposition indicated in Fig. 7, where it will be seen that the points orapices c cl are the reverse to what is shown in Fig. 4. This is due tothe fact that in thelast-described operation the movement of the deviceB is not reversed as in the operation first described. Fig. 6 representsthe device in a position substantially intermediate of the positionsshown in Figs. 5 and 7 and is employed to indicate the continuedmovement of the device in the same direction after moving from theposition of Fig. 5.

As shown in Figs. 8 to l0, inclusive, I dispense with the use of thewedge on the door, and consequently dispense with the notches orrecesses o in the upper surface of the device B also.. These figurescorrespond with Figs. 2, 3, and 4, and they show like movements of thedevice when the door is brought directly into contact with the devicewithout the use of the wedge. It is of course apparent that the detailsof construction of myimproved device can be changed or altered inimmaterial degree and that the same can also be made either plain orornamental in appearance.

In Figs. 12 to 15inclusive, I have shown another embodiment of myinvention, and

IOO

IIO

wherein the device B instead of'being beveled on each side at the endsis preferably beveled on one side only at each end, as indicated at b',the extreme ends or corners c d thereof corresponding to the apices cand CZ. (Shown in Figs. 1 to l1, inclusive.) This device may besupported in like manner', as already explained with referenceto theconstruction of said Figs. 1 to 1l; but inasmuch as a limited'movemeutof the device is all that is necessary in some instances for effectiveoperation I prefer to provide a pivot or bearing for the device, whichwhile constructed to permit but a limited movement thereof is alsoadjustable to permit the device to move or turn all the way around ineither direction as before. Thus in said Figs. 12 to 15 the device B' isconstructed with a central opening h', which is enlarged at h2 for asuitable extent of the wall or circumference thereof, so as to formshoulders or stops 7b3 Zt, and fitted in said opening from beneath is ahub or bearing Z2, having a central opening 7a2 for the passage of afastening-screw Z2 and provided on one side with a lug m2, which entersthe enlarged part h2 of opening 7i', and which construction permits thedevice In" to have a movement on the hub Z2, which is limited in eitherdirection by the said shoulders or stops h h4. The bottom of the channele of the device is recessed at 02, surrounding the opening h', toprovide for the reception of the top plate or washerp2, and the bottomof the hub or bearing i2 is formed or provided with a rigid wear-plateor washer p3, which rests upon the floor or other support when thedevice is iu place for use. The said top and bottom plates p2 and p3 areeach provided also with a central opening for the passage of thefastening Z2. Now it is evident that by inserting screw Z2 and screwingthe device very tightly to the floor or other vsupport the said devicecan only turn to the extent of space between shoulders or stops h3 h4;but by partially unscrewing or loosening the screw Z2 the frictionbetween the parts is lessened or reduced, and the device can turn allthe way around in either direction, since in that case not only has thedevice proper a limited movement on its hub or bearing i2, but the saidhub has also a complete movement on its screw or pivot. I have providedthis particular form of the device for the reason that it is preferablein some instances, and, as is about to be described, I can apply theform of bearing orsupport shown in Figs. 12 to 15 to the construction ofdevice shown in Figs. 1 to 1l. In each case herein shown, however, thecentral opening in vthedevice is the same in size, so as to enable theemployment of either of the particular forms of pivotal supports orbearings desired. As shown in Fig. 15, when the device shown in Figs. 12to 15 is screwed tightly to the floor or other support in properposition the same moves back and forth in the limited arc of a circle,(indicated between the points 10 and 12,) and thus is always in positionto properly engage with the door, substantially in the manner alreadydescribed; but, as before stated, by slightly loosening the screw Zgsaid device can turn all the way in either direction, also ashereiubefore explained.

As shown in Figs. 17 and 1S, substantially the same form of device isemployed as in Figs. 1 to 1l, substituting for the pivotal4 bearing orsupport in such iigu res the pivotal bearing or snpportof Figs. 12 tol5,with some slight changes. Thus in said Figs. 17 and 1S the device B'is preferably formed of a flat plate 20, beveled at the ends and havingmounted thereon ateach end the blocks B2, which are beveled andconstructed substantially the same as the beveled and recessed ends ofsaid Figs. 1 to 1l. Said plate 20 is formed with the central opening hm,which is enlarged at 7i for a suitable extent at one side, so as to formshoulders or stops h1? 7tlg for limiting the independent movement of thedevice, similarly as in the construction shown in Figs. l2 to 15. is ahub-plate hn, having a lug or projection It entering the enlarged part7i of the opening and working between the stops or shoulders 71,12Ztl-3. Beneath said hub-plate is a bottom plate or washer h1?, and abovethe same is a top plate or washer hw. A fasteningscrew Z4 is alsoemployed, as in the forlner constructions. Vith the embodiment shown inFigs. 17 and 1S the operation is the same as in the construction'shownin Figs. 12 to 15.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the devices shown in Figs. l to11, inclusive, can be readily convertible into the device operating asshown in either Figs. 12 to 15 or Figs. 17 and 18. In making the changefrom the construction shown in Figs. 12 to 15 or Figs. 17 and 18 toeitherof the constructions shown in Figs. 1 to 11 a smooth-bore nut maybe employed without the lug or projection thereon, if desired; but theoperationwill be the same in either case, as already described.

It is obvious that I am not limited in either case to the details ofconstruct-ion shown and described.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-n 1. A door check orretaining device com-l prising a block having a central pivot andbeveled or tapered at the ends, and constructed with a channel or recesshaving cushions at the sides thereof,substantially as described.

2. The combination with a door provided with a wedge, of a check orretaining device therefor comprising a block beveled at the ends andadapted to embrace the sides of the door, the said device being recessednear the ends to permit movement of the wedge, and being centrallymounted on a pivot located substantially in the plane of the arc of thecircle traversed by the apex of said wedge, substantially as described.

A door check or retaining device cour Fitting in said opening 7am' IOOIIO

afg

prising a block having beveled or tapered ends, and constructed with thechannel chaving central opening in its bottom, said device beingrecessed at 0 near the ends, and provided With the smooth-bore nut insaid opening and the Washers on opposite sides of said nut,substantially as described.

4. A door check or retaining device com- .prising a rotatable blockbeveled or tapered at the ends, and provided With means for limiting themovement thereof at will, substantially as described.

5. A door check or retaining device comprising a rotatable block, andadjustable devices permitting a full or limited movement ofthe block atwill, substantially as described.

6. A door check or retaining device com prising a rotatable block havinga central opening enlarged at one side for a suitable distance, a hub orbearing fitting said opening and having a projection entering theenlarged part thereof and top and bottom plates or Washers and a screwor other fastening device, substantially as described.

7. A door check or retaining device, comprising an oblong block having acentral pivot and beveled or tapered to a point at each end, andconstructed with an intermediate channel or recess having end Wallsarranged substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of theblock, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence ot tWo Witnesses. W'ILLIAM LINDSAY Vitnesses:

G. M. MCKNIGHT, JOHN M. J oNEs, J r.

WALLACE.

